Junction City woman rescued Sunday from ocean at Bob Creek would like to thank the hero who saved her

February 21, 2024

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews Corinne McElroy knows one of the men who rescued her from the ocean Sunday. He’s Mike, her husband of 45 years. Now she’s looking for the other one. “I think his name is Andrew,” McElroy told YachatsNews on Wednesday. “I would love to find him just to tell him ‘Thank you for saving my life’.” Corinne,

Worried about possible NOAA departure, officials try to gauge interest in reviving Newport’s commuter air service

February 20, 2024

By KRISTIAN FODEN-VENCIL/Oregon Public Broadcasting NEWPORT — Oregon has 98 airports, both private and public. Some are little more than a field where pilots can practice takeoffs and landings. Others, like Portland International, help drive Oregon’s economy. Newport Airport, on the central Oregon Coast, lies somewhere in between. But locals want it to be bigger. “We need to attract commuter

Yachats fire district, ambulance company receive notices of impending lawsuits following Jan. 11 fatal crash

February 20, 2024

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews YACHATS — Lawyers for two people involved in a January collision with a Yachats ambulance have notified the nonprofit ambulance company and the Yachats Rural Fire Protection District they intend to sue one or both organizations. The notices were not unexpected. Kelsey R. Seibel, 25, of Waldport died and Fokus Simmons, 16, of Waldport, was severely

Postal officials say Yachats office is just following rules, but former postmaster, residents say delivery is still wrong, chaotic

February 19, 2024

By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews YACHATS – Any perceived lull in complaints about how the Yachats post office is handling mail since the departure of the former postmaster now seems more of an eye-of-the-storm situation. The gale of complaints on social media is building with calls to contact a U.S. senator and possibly get the Yachats city council involved because it seems

Search and rescue crews recover remains of Yachats man missing since July

February 16, 2024

Update: On Wednesday, Feb. 21, the Lane County Sheriff’s Office said the Lane County Medical Examiner identified the remains found Feb. 11 as those of Dustin Jay Steyding of Yachats. Remains believed to be those of a 45-year-old Yachats man missing since July have been found and recovered near Cummins Peak, the Lane County Sheriff’s Office announced

Despite attempts to control invasive green crabs in Oregon’s coastal waters, researchers say “they are here to stay”

February 15, 2024

By JULE GILFILLAN/Oregon Public Broadcasting On a summer day nearly two years ago, a team of researchers from Portland State University made their way upriver from chilly, salty Siletz Bay to the fresher, warmer waters of the Siletz River. They were retrieving traps set earlier to see whether invasive European green crabs were finding comfy habitats in places the

Judge rules that yurt and trailer complex developed in timber zone by Yachats businesswoman must be removed

February 15, 2024

By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews A judge said Tuesday that a Yachats businesswoman’s complex of four yurts and a recreational vehicle on 20 acres of forest land violates zoning ordinances. Lincoln County Circuit Judge Sheryl Bachart agreed with Lincoln County’s argument that the housing created by Linda Hetzler and her husband, Thomas Smith, is not permitted in a timber conservation zone

Skaters, kids, parents and city officials brave the elements to dedicate new Yachats skatepark

February 15, 2024

By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews YACHATS – A driving rain could not stop the official opening and ribbon cutting of the Yachats skatepark Thursday afternoon – although opening speeches were moved inside the Commons out of common sense. City manager Bobbi Price kicked off the event by addressing a packed house of more than 80 adults and children. “Today is a

Samaritan begins more visible work on Lincoln County’s first in-patient drug treatment center

February 15, 2024

NEWPORT – With background work mostly done, more visible work is now underway on Lincoln County’s first in-patient drug treatment center. The $11.7 million project is converting a former adult foster care home on Northwest Biggs Street in north Newport into an 8,300-square-foot facility with 16 inpatient beds to serve adults ages 18 and older seeking treatment for substance

In unusual situation, Yachats fire district gets at least four applicants for open board position

February 13, 2024

YACHATS – The Yachats Rural Fire Protection District board encountered something this week it hasn’t had to deal with before – a wealth of seemingly well-qualified candidates to fill a vacant board position. The district has been advertising for candidates to replace longtime member Betty Johnston, who resigned in December. It usually struggles to get candidates to run for office